Closed petition To provide continual monitoring of babies Fetal Heart Rate (FHR) for all labouring mothers.

Closed on 23 November 2012

Marcella Evans was born asleep on 13th May 2011. In a rare occurrence Marcella died during labour. Her Mother went into labour and was classed as a “low risk” labour. Guidelines set by our government mean that the need for intervention and monitoring of the FHR is minimal in "low risk" labours, but not so if you are deemed "high risk". Marcella’s death could have been prevented if continual monitoring of her FHR had been given. Marcella's Mother had the distressing ordeal of having to deliver her baby girl knowing she had died, it was too late for a C section. Marcella's Mother would like a change in procedures and policy so that all pregnant women have more frequent antenatal checks leading up to labour and for the FHR to be continually monitored during labour unless the labouring Mother herself chooses to opt out. Around 15 babies a day are stillborn and around half of these death could be prevented with these changes in policy.